Pennsylvania

We headed to Pennsylvania this past week. We got up Thursday morning around 7am and left the house at 9. This was Selah's first trip to PA to visit our families. She was pretty quiet. We loaded all six kids and some luggage into our van and made the trip to the parking lot of Pittsburgh Zoo. We met my parents there and they gave us my mom's red Chevy Impala and Jeremy, Selah, and I headed to PCH. My parents took our van with other five kids and headed home for lunch around noon. We got lunch at Wendy's and headed to a doctor appointment. We waiting for a very long time.

Selah was absolutely loving my mom's car. It is a red Impala and Selah was so impressed with it. She loved riding in it! 

After her appointment she did not want to go back to my parent's house for supper. She was so nervous. She wanted to go home. However, she LOVED the city! For now it is obvious we have a city girl. She loved the tall buildings.

I explained that our parents live in the country. She explained how confused she was. She mentioned that America is a country but I keep telling her that our parents live in the country. It completely confused her. I tried to explain that country also means farmland but that also was not entirely accurate. I will have to try again.

We arrived at my parents in time for me to help with the last of dinner preparations. Selah has met our parents before. They were at the airport when we arrived from China. That was after Selah's shock of a 32 hour flight plan and sheer exhaustion. I was praying she would love it at our parents' as much as we do.

She was so great. She hugged my parents and was amazed with my parents house. She investigated every cabinet, door, drawer, counter top, closet and whatever else she could find. She helped in the kitchen and enjoyed supper with my parents.

Friday morning we got up and made our way to Jeremy's parent's home. Our plan was to spend most of the day with them then go back to my parent's to meet my sister and her family and my brother and his son. 

Friday was fun for us. We finally had Christmas with Jeremy's parent's. We had hoped to do it sooner but since they help take care of Jeremy's grandma, and the weather has been so bad....it hasn't worked out. 

We went up to Grandma's house first. Grandma (Claire) is 92 years old and has good days and bad. Friday was a good day! Grandma is a little forgetful so the note at the light switch is for her benefit. Selah found a rotary phone and was amazed!

Selah was a little shy at first but soon relaxed. Personally, I love this photo of Selah and one of her great-grandmothers.

Then I saw Mariah and Jeremy with Grandmas as well.

Mariah found the kitty toys there as well.

Great-Grandma Leard with six of her eight great-grandchildren.

We then headed over to Uncle George's and Aunt Mary's house for a few minutes. It was lunchtime so we headed back to Jeremy's parent's.

For one afternoon it was Christmas again! 

Selah enjoyed opening gifts again. It was fun! Selah and Rebecca also received a special gift from friends. Those bracelets were worn to church today!

We then headed back to my parent's in time to have supper at 6:30 and have Selah meet my brother-in-law Daryl and my sister Tina and their boys. Then my brother came as well with his son, Dan. We managed to get this photo of 10 of my parent's 18 grandchildren.

How else do you gather 18 people together? Well....you spoil the little ones! Notice the time on the clock reads 9:15pm? Aunt Tina........I forgive you!

Then of course it is Grandma's turn.

Aunt Patty came over on Friday and Mariah sat on her lap for at least 45 minutes coloring.

But really......who can resist three-year-olds as cute as this?

 Even Rebecca got in on the spoiling!

Mom and dad heat their house with a coal furnace. As anyone in my family can testify....the house is usually a balmy 80 degrees or more in the winter. My dad loves to see how hot he can keep the house. Ninety plus degrees is not uncommon.

For this very reason the screens never are taken out of the windows. In fact if you happen to visit my parent's house even when it is below zero...it would not be uncommon to see open windows. 

Because my dad does not read my blog it is safe to admit that we sleep with open windows and prop open the front and back doors more often than he knows. Mom has had some wildlife attempt to come in the doors to warm up when they are propped open. (Again, my dad does not read this.) And dad, if you happen to stumble upon this please know that I love you! We are just hot at your house. 

We are blessed to have such great families who love us. We love to go home and visit and pray that our kids always have the same excitement to go visit their grandparents and our families. 

I hope that our next visit includes a visit to my grandmother. She is 93 years old, lives alone, and still drives. She has 15 living grandchildren and 30 great-grandchildren! What a legacy! 

We feel so blessed to be a part of such a large family. Obviously Jeremy and I are creating our own large family. We have confirmed that love truly multiplies.


1 Corinthians 13:13  So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three but the greatest of these is love.